##### 43.2.3.2 Basing output file names on existing paragraph formats

If you have assigned a paragraph format to topic titles, and the paragraphs in this format already contain appropriate text for output file names, you can assign the FileName property to that format, and if necessary specify prefix and suffix (see §43.2.3.4 Specifying a file-name prefix or suffix). This is a simple way to use titles for file names.

However, if you are creating HTML Help (see §18. Generating Microsoft HTML Help) you would be asking for trouble. Most Help systems have files with identical titles at several points; titles such as “Summary” or “Overview” often appear under several topics, so using the title as the file name is almost certain to cause name collisions, unless you also include a unique identifier in the prefix or suffix, such as a sequence number.

If you ever duplicate a FileName heading in the same file, you are in deep trouble with no warning. The later file will silently overwrite the earlier. It is your responsibility to detect and avoid potential collisions, by changing the text of duplicate headings, or insuring uniqueness via sequence numbers. See §43.2.3.6 Preventing duplicate file names based on paragraph formats for another way to accomplish this. In a large Help system, you might have to use a DBMS (Data Base Management System), such as SQL Server or Access, for the names.

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Next Topic: 43.2.3.3 Creating special paragraph formats to name output files

Parent Topic: 43.2.3 Using paragraph formats to name output files

Sibling Topics:

43.2.3.1 Constructing file names based on paragraph content

43.2.3.3 Creating special paragraph formats to name output files

43.2.3.4 Specifying a file-name prefix or suffix

43.2.3.5 Constructing file names from multiple paragraph formats

43.2.3.6 Preventing duplicate file names based on paragraph formats